BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / 12 Years a Slave

**Posted by Davina** January 23, 2014 10:41 pm

Saw this film on Tuesday. It has taken me until now to write my response.

This...this ...is an important film. It is very uncomfortable to watch at times but also has stunning visual beauty. The individual and combined performances are fantastic, quite extraordinary. The cinematography and use of sound (both music and otherwise) are both unusual (especially for those unfamiliar with Steve McQueen's work) and spine tingling. The realisation that not only were the slaves victims of this terrible terrible practice but so too were others associated with it. The casual cruelty is almost as shocking and heart rending as the more obvious atrocities and maltreatment.

What I find astonishing is that this was all filmed in about 36 days.

Has anyone else seen this film yet?

**Posted by Sherli Bakerst** January 24, 2014 1:41 am

Davina wrote:
Saw this film on Tuesday. It has taken me until now to write my response. Has anyone else seen this film yet?

Yes, I saw it in November and wrote about it then (Post #62). There are several posts around that time that discuss reactions to the film. I will definitely see it again at some point and hope it wins a slew of Oscars.

**Posted by Davina** January 24, 2014 6:10 pm

Me too! It is brilliant! BBC 2 tonight 11.05 p.m. has a programme interviewing the director Steve McQueen. It is called: Steve McQueen: Are You Sitting Uncomfortably? It is a culture show special looking at the history of slavery and talking to Steve. This should be good.

**Posted by Davina** January 27, 2014 7:53 am

So...what did everyone who has seen this film think about: a) Benedict's character b) his portrayal of the character c) his accent? I'm interested in what people think.

**Posted by SusiGo** January 27, 2014 8:17 am

Ask me tomorrow evening.

**Posted by gently69** January 27, 2014 8:24 am

a) Loved to see him a little bit more... not just at the beginning. I think he is a really interesting character and had loved to figure out how serious confrontations with the other slaveholders would have been. Benedict once in an interview said that he has a different opinion about his character like a lot of others do, that he isn't the good guy in this evil world. Because he still is a slaveholder and rip them off. That there is no excuse for it, especially when he praise the word of the Lord... words that say that all people are equal.

b) The portrayal was brilliant again. Benedict Cumberbatch. master of emotions. In the same interview I mentioned before the interviewer said that he admires Benedict's acting skills because if he is playing a role you can spot nothing of himself (Benedict) anymore. This is absolutely true.

c) Can't really say something about the accent. Hadn't the chance so far of a comparison to a southern accent.

Last edited by gently69 (January 27, 2014 8:27 am)

**Posted by gently69** January 27, 2014 8:25 am

SusiGo wrote:
Ask me tomorrow evening.

That means you are coming?

**Posted by SusiGo** January 27, 2014 8:27 am

I am seriously considering this plan.

**Posted by gently69** January 27, 2014 8:28 am

Would really looking forward to.

**Posted by dartmoordoggers** January 27, 2014 9:11 am

In interview McQueen says that Benedicts character is the worse one. The others believe they are in the right. Ford knows he is in the wrong but still continues. I think Benedict has echoed these sentiments.

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 27, 2014 9:47 am

I would agree that Ford is the most ambiguous character in the movie. He knows that slavery is wrong and he obviously doesn't feel comfortable when he goes out to buy slaves. He tries to treat them as good as possible, but still it's wrong and he knows it. When Solomon tries to tell him the truth about himself, Ford says that he doesn't want to hear anything about it. So I would say he is the worst of all, because he knows it's wrong but he doesn't dare to change anything about it (as opposed to Brad Pitt's character).
Benedict is brilliant in the role. Can't say anything about his accent, but apart from that he really is Ford. You can clearly see that he is torn between wrong and right, you can see how desperately he tries to make the best of the worst situation.
(And apart form all that he just looks great in those trousers, if I'm allowed to say that... )

**Posted by dartmoordoggers** January 27, 2014 9:59 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03rh83f/The_Culture_Show_Steve_McQueen_Are_You_Sitting_Uncomfortably_A_Culture_Show_Special/

Interview with McQueen on the BBC iPlayer from this friday.

**Posted by tonnaree** January 27, 2014 1:16 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
I would agree that Ford is the most ambiguous character in the movie. He knows that slavery is wrong and he obviously doesn't feel comfortable when he goes out to buy slaves. He tries to treat them as good as possible, but still it's wrong and he knows it. When Solomon tries to tell him the truth about himself, Ford says that he doesn't want to hear anything about it. So I would say he is the worst of all, because he knows it's wrong but he doesn't dare to change anything about it (as opposed to Brad Pitt's character).
Benedict is brilliant in the role. Can't say anything about his accent, but apart from that he really is Ford. You can clearly see that he is torn between wrong and right, you can see how desperately he tries to make the best of the worst situation.
(And apart form all that he just looks great in those trousers, if I'm allowed to say that... )

It's been said through out history that the man who sees evil and does nothing is almost as gulity as the evil themselves.

What struck me about Ford's character was his weakness. Benedict portrayed this perfectly. He showed us that Ford was not a man to be admired regardless of the fact that he treated his slaves "decently."

As far as the accent goes, I was born and raised in the southern United States and I can tell you Benedict did a fine job.

**Posted by gently69** January 27, 2014 1:41 pm

tonnaree wrote:
What struck me about Ford's character was his weakness. Benedict portrayed this perfectly. He showed us that Ford was not a man to be admired regardless of the fact that he treated his slaves "decently."

Perfectly put, tonnaree. Couldn't say better.

**Posted by miriel68** January 27, 2014 3:31 pm

Can't say anything about the accent,. His looks were perfect, however and he was brilliant, especially in his scene. I did regret, however, that his part was kind of chopped into small, not completely coherent bits. IMO opinion he wasn't given a chance to develop fully his character, and his final interaction with Solomon wasn't really clear - unless one has read the book. I talked about it with many people and most of them didn't understand the interaction between Ford and Teabits and thought that Ford simply sold Solomon to Epps to get rid of troubles, while in fact at this point Solomon wasn't his propriety any more.

**Posted by gently69** January 27, 2014 3:38 pm

IMO Ford sold Solomon because he wasn't safe anymore if he stays on Ford's ground. And he couldn't let him free even if he wanted to because he made debts with him, not the only ones.

Last edited by gently69 (January 27, 2014 3:42 pm)

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 27, 2014 4:42 pm

dartmoordoggers wrote:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03rh83f/The_Culture_Show_Steve_McQueen_Are_You_Sitting_Uncomfortably_A_Culture_Show_Special/

Interview with McQueen on the BBC iPlayer from this friday.

Thanks for the link, that was really interesting - and not just about "12 Years..." but so many other things as well.

**Posted by miriel68** January 27, 2014 8:25 pm

gently69 wrote:
IMO Ford sold Solomon because he wasn't safe anymore if he stays on Ford's ground. And he couldn't let him free even if he wanted to because he made debts with him, not the only ones.

No. Ford was in debts and he had to sell/give Solomon do Teabits, because he owned him 600 dollars. However, Solomon's "worth" was 1000, so Ford had a kind of "mortgage" on Solomon (400 dollars). That's why overseer was able to save Solomon from lynch, by claiming that Ford would loose his money. Still, Teabits was Solomon's owner at this point and Ford didn't have money to buy him back. It is a tad complicated, I know.... but all explained in the book. There was also a scene in the script in which Ford explains to Solomon that he has to sell him to Teabits because he is in debt and much ashamed of himself. I don't know whewer they cut this scene from the film, but it as it is, the whole situation is surely a bit confusing for the viewers.

Last edited by miriel68 (January 27, 2014 8:26 pm)

**Posted by gently69** January 27, 2014 8:36 pm

Thanks for the explanation. I understood it wrong then.

**Posted by Davina** January 28, 2014 10:40 am

And Ford is the worst of the slave owners. (Steve McQueen's words folks). Discuss.

If you get a chance to see the Culture Show Special (link in post above) then do so. Highly recommended.